Hungarians and Hungarian Heroes in Cleveland

As early as the late 19th century, emigration led to the formation of a colony with a considerable number of Hungarian inhabitants in Cleveland, Ohio. As a result of the tragedies of the 20th century, the two world wars, the loss of territories of Trianon, the Great Depression and the 1956 revolution, Hungarians have arrived in Cleveland in further waves.

Organized by the United Hungarian Societies (UHS), which coordinates their activities, Hungarians living in and around Cleveland regularly commemorate the Hungarian heroes on the Day of Hungarian Heroes and the American Memorial Day because they gave their lives not only for Hungary but also for their chosen homeland, the United States.

Before the Day of Heroes’ commemoration, the main organizer of the events, Secretary for the UHS Dr. Endre Szentkirályi, introduced the USS COD Submarine Memorial to the participants, and the Hungarian flag was waving there the whole day in honor of them. In what follows, the participants visited the Cleveland Hungarian Heritage Society Museum, its rich folk art, historical and book collections, as well as the Hungarian Scout Center.

The series of commemorations began with the church service presented by Pastor Dr. Csaba Géza Krasznai, the honorary consul of Hungary, in the church of the First Hungarian Reformed Church, established in 1981. In the afternoon, the commemoration continued at the Hungarian memorial in the Sunset Cemetery, where, besides the representatives of the Hungarian community’s organizations, the descendants of military heroes were also present. Thus, we had the opportunity to meet the goddaughter of Ákos Hehs, who worked as an aeronautical engineer and parachute designer in World War II, and the daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Viktor Falk, who served with the Szent László (Saint Ladislaus) Infantry Division in the fights by Ipoly-Garam.

Consul General of Hungary in Chicago Dr. Balázs Mártonffy opened the commemoration with his speech. Representing the Ohio National Guard (ONG), CSM Daniel Makruski recalled the close and active military connection between Hungary and the State of Ohio. The cooperation between the ONG and the Hungarian Defence Forces has been going on for more than 30 years, not only in military training events and exercises, but also in the ISAF mission’s Hungarian-American Operational Mentor and Liaison Team (OMLT) in Afghanistan, where Hungarian and Ohio-based soldiers served together under a Hungarian commander throughout several rotations. After the commemorations held by Lieutenant Colonel Judit Fejes and Colonel Dr. Gábor Boldizsár, who serve in the USA, the participants placed flowers of tribute on the memorials of the two nations for Hungarian heroes. The commemoration’s warmth was enhanced by clerical services and musical and prosaic performances.

In the evening, the commemoration ended with an informal reception, where the Hungarian historical donation books offered by the HDF National Liaison Representation were handed over to the Cleveland Public Library, the Hungarian Heritage Society Museum and Hungarian scout teams.

Within the framework of the American Memorial Day, Colonel Boldizsár visited the tombs of two Hungarian World War II generals. Major General Valiant Gyula Kovács, Chief of Defence of the Hungarian 2nd Army at the Don, died in emigration in 1963 and rests in the West Park Cemetery. Major General Valiant Kornél Oszlányi, posthumous lieutenant general’s tomb is in the Holy Cross Cemetery. The latter was renovated two years ago with the contribution of historian Csaba B. Stenge.

Kornél Oszlányi is the only soldier of World War II who received the highest possible decoration for field military performance, the Military Order of Maria Theresa. The decoration founded in 1757 was awarded to fewer than 1300 people, such as Ferenc Nádasdy, András Hadik and József Radeczky.

From the First World War, Miklós Horthy, Sándor Szurmai, Árpád Bertalan and Olaf Wulff, who was laid to rest in a worthy place in the Heroes’ parcel in the Fiumei Road Cemetery on this year’s Day of Hungarian Heroes. The HDF 52nd vitéz Oszlányi Kornél Territorial Defence Battalion bears the name and memory of the only posthumous lieutenant general of World War II, who holds the Military Order of Maria Theresa.

Tribute to the heroes!